Will of Thomas Rountree (Chowan County) – 1748

In trying to make sense of the connections between the Rountree and Wallace families, I’m finding I need to dig deep into the available documents. It appears there is some erroneous information on Ancestry and other sites relating to Thomas Rountree, his children, and grandchildren — in particular, relating to Thomas’s daughter, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Rountree is said by some to have been the mother of William D. Wallace, but she’s also said to be the wife of Elias Stallings. The probem is, however, that Elias Stallings named many more children in his will than Thomas Rountree named as children of his daughter Elizabeth with Elias Stallings. Also, Elizabeth is dead by the time her father, Thomas, makes his will, and yet when Elias Stallings makes his will in 1778, he mentions that one of his sons is not yet “of age” (meaning 21 years old), and that would indicate he was at least born sometime after 1759. That means Elizabeth Rountree couldn’t have been his mother because she was already dead.

If you have any comments or information to add, I’d love to see them below.

Will of Thomas Rountree, 1746

In the name of God Amen the first day of December in the twentyeth year of the reign of our sovereighn Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defender of the faith Anno Domi. 1746. I Thomas Rountree ?? of the County of Chowan in the province of North Carolina being aged and weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be to Almighty God for it remembering that it is appointed for all flesh to die when it shall please Almighty God to call so I make ordain pronounce and declare this my Last will and testament in manner and forme following first and principally and sorry from the bottom of my heart for all my sins past humbly beging pardon for the sins through the ??? meditation and Intersession of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I Give and Bequeath my Soule to Almighty God that gavie it me in sure and sertain hope I shall receive the same Again at the resurrection at the Last day and my body to be buried in such Christian Like manner as shall please my Executors hereafter named to appoint and secondly I do by these presents frustrate make null and void all other and former will or wills testament or testaments by me formerly made or declared either by word or wrighting and this to be taken for my Last will and testament and no other and thirdly my will and pleasure is that all such debts and ?? that I owe in right or conscience to any manner or person or persons whatsoever be justly contended and paid by my Executors hereafter named in convienantly ? to (blurred) my … and now as touching such worldly Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God ??? and my Desire to ?? upon me I give Demise and Dispose of the same in manner? and forme following ( Viz ____

I Give Demise and Bequeath unto my Well Beloved son Charles Rountree the plantation and Lands where he now lives begining at the mouth of a small branch that ??? out of Catteran Creek Swamp between the plnatation where my son Charles Rountree now Lives and the plantation where my son Thomas Rountree now Lives ?? my commonly known by the name of the broad neck branch and from thence up the several courses of the sd branch to our Carte rode and from thence by a Line of marked trees to a read oak being a corner tree standing in the outside Line of my pattent and then keeping the pattent Line westardly to include all my Land on that side of the dividing line that he the sd Charles Rountree now lives upon and further I give to my afore sd son Charles Rountree fifty acres of land in Perquimmons County out of a deed of two hundred acres purchased of Joseph Jessup Last ??? Including in the aforesd fifty acres a ridge commonly known by the grape tree ridge only baring and hindring my a for sd son Charles Rountree and his heirs from selling any part of the aforesd lands to any person what so ever to ?? or pro?? his brother Thomas Rountree or his heirs with out their or either of their consent but if my son Thomasm Rountree or his heirs shall soe cause to purchase all or any parts of the Lands a fore sd he or they or either of htem shall have the first liberty to purchase all or any part of the a fore sd land giving as much as another will and further I give to my afore sd son Charles Rountree all my turners tools and one case of pisbels? and one rapper? and one halfe of my carpenters tools and the gun that he has now in possession that did belong to me I saw his lands as they are before mentioned and all and every of the articles before written as they are before Expressed to be to him and his heris for Ever ~~~

Carried over ~~~

Item. I give Demise and bequeath unto my well Beloved son Thomas Rountree all the remainder or part of my Land that I have in Chowan County with the plantation where I now live after the change of my well beloved wife Elizabeth Rountrees condition either by death or maridge which shall first happen I also give my A fore sd son Thomas Rountree fifty acres of Land out of the deed before mentioned purchased of Joseph Jessop and ?? in Perquimmons County the sd fifty acres of land Including in it a ridge commonly known by the name of Hickory ridge provided my son Thomas Rountree and his heirs shall allow my son Charles Rountree and his heirs the same Liberty and priviledges as the sd Charles and his heirs is to Allow to the sad. Thomas Rountree and his heirs ?? selling any part or parts all or any of the afore sd Land I all so give my afore sd son Thomas Rountree my old Long gun and my case of pistolls and houlsters and my rapier? and my sett of shoomakers tools and the one halfe of my carpenters tools I say the land as it is before mentioned with all and every of the articles before written to him and his heirs for Ever

Item. I Give Demise and BEqueath unto my well beloved Grandson William Wallis the plantation and Land where he now Lives in Pequimmons County and all the stock of cattle that belongs to sd plantation after the change of my well beloved wife Elizabeth Rountree’s condition either by death or maridge which sd first happen and I further give my afore sd grandson William Wallis fifty acres of land out of the a fore mentioned land purchased of Joseph Jessop afore sd provided that my afore sd Granson William Wallis and his heirs shall allow to my two sones Charles and Thomas Rountree as they and either of them and either of hteir heirs the same Liberty and priviledge to purchase all or any parts of the aforesd land if he the sd William Wallis hath a minde to sell all or any parts of the A fore sd to ?? as my son Charles and Thomas Rountree is to do to each other and their heirs also by Each other but if the A fore sd William Wallis and his heirs hath a minds to keep it and hould all or any parts of the afore sd Lands I say the lands and cattle before mentioned to be to him and his heirs for Ever

Item. I give Demise and Bequeath unto my well beloeved granson Thomas Rountree son of Chares Rountree and Judeth his wife the plantation where my Negro man called JAck now Lives in Pequimmons County with fifty acres of land adjoyning to it on the Eastward side of the river Sawmp and my Littel Gun called the french gun provided he do not sell the land without consent of my heirs afore sd and so I say the Land and plantation and gun a fore sd to be to him and his heirs for ever ~~~

Item. I leave my executors here after named full power and Authority to proseed and gitt my entery that I have adjoyning on the Line of William Hollowell and my own line in Perquimmons County surveyed and pattoned at the Charge of my Estate and when sd ?? to parts the Land is Equal as they can between my gransons (to witt William Wallis and my Granson of Thomas Rountree and afore sd with out consent allow my two sons to wit Charles and Thomas Rountrees Junper Timber ?? while it is to be had ?? and so I say the land my possession at my desease not before mentioned to my grandson son of Thos Rountree and Mary his wife and so the land and gun as it is aforesd to them and their heirs for ever ~~~~

Carried over

Item. I give Demise and Bequeath unto my well beloved son in law Elias Stallings one hundred and sixty six acres of Land with the plantation whereon he doth now live and in regards my well beloved dafter Elizabeth STallings now deseast hth had and received her full parts of my personall Estate in horses cattle sheep and hoogs and bedding potts putter and other houshould goods and a Loom and all weavers tackling belonging to it the loom and tackling being of the Val?? of five pound sterling money my will and pleasure is that the personall Estate before mentioned be Eaqually devided Amongst her Children (to witt) Jacob and Elias and John and Elizabeth Stallings and that they hould it peaceably and quietly from the demand of any of my heirs but not to have any other parts of my Estate exsept five shillings A peace for the four children before named as they cume of age if the sd five shillings apeace be demanded and so I say to them and their heirs forever ~~~~

Item. I leave my well beloved wife Elizabeth Rountree the use of the plantation and land where I now Live and all my Neagroes and personall estate in Chowan nad Pequimmons Countys during the time of her widdowhood and at the change of her condition either by death or maridge which shall first happen for a ??? to my will and pleasure is that my well beloved wife shall have my Negro woman called Nancey and a fourth parts of the rest of my persoanall EState belonging to Chowan County my wife and ? she hath giving good security for the Negro and personall estate during the time of her natural Life and all the rest of my Neagroes and personall estate to be Equally divided between my two sons (to witt) Charles and Thoams Rountree and so ?? (page is split at crease, difficult to read) for ever and if the change of my well beloved wifes condition happen by maridge as aforesd then my will and pleasure is returne of the full value of them to my two sons Charles and Thomas Rountree but if the change of my well beloved wifes condition happs by death then give the aforesd negro woman and one feather bead and the furniture belonging to it to my well beloved grandson William WAllis and his heirs for ever my true intent and meaning is that at the desease of my well beloed wife is that my grandson William Wallis have the Negroe woman called Nancey or the Value of her and the feather bead and my two sons, Charles and Thomas Rountrees Equally devided between them all the rest of my negroes and personall estate as they can and so I say to remian to them and each of them their heir and each of their heirs for ever~~~

Lastly, I nominate appoint and ordaine my two well beloved sons Charles and Thoms Rountree to be my whole and soule Executors of this my last Will and Testament to ?? this my Last Will and Testament duwly proformed and fulfilled according ot Laws and further I nominate appoint and ordaine my trusty and well beloved friend Capt. John Sumnor of Chowan County as overseer over my Executors that if any dispute or difference should hapen to rise between my two Executors that he shall appoint to disside any controversy between them and ?? they not ??? ——- wehreof I have hereunto sett my hand and fixt my seale the day and yeare first before written ~~~~

Thos. Rountree Senr.? { Seal }

Signed sealled declared and pronounced in the presents of us~~~

Thos Walton – Jurat
John Freeman – Jurat

Exrs. Quallified